Matrix for computers



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April 24, 1962 C. L. SNYDER E AL 3,031,649

MATRIX FOR COMPUTERS Filed June 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 U (2V4 M U U u u n f n n n i! n w WM WH- H H H I! H M 1r 4! H 1 il Q M W ATT RNEYS April 1962 c. L. SNYDER ET AL 3,031,649

MATRIX FOR COMPUTERS Filed June 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TT RNEYS United States Patent 1 3,031,649 MATRIX FOR CGMPUTERS Christopher L. Snyder, Plainfield, and Robert S. Straley,

Franklin Park, N.J., assignors, by mesne assignments,

to Indiana General Corporation, a corporation of Indiana Filed June 22, 1959, Ser. No. 822,055 4 Claims. (Cl. 340-174) This invention relates to a ferromagnetic core matrix for computers and process of making the same.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a compact matrix formed from a number of smaller matrices to provide a large number of independent storage cores each wired for coincident current reading or writing in which the necessity for frames to hold the separate matrices is eliminated and in which the number of connections which must be made by soldering, welding, brazing or mechanical wrapping, is reduced.

In the manufacture of matrices for computers smaller and more compact units are being found desirable especially since the capacity of the computer depends on the number of cores available in which to store information.

The matrix of the present invention is made up of a plurality of rings or cores arranged in planes employing X and Y wires of sufficient stiffness that they may be preformed, and maintain this form during all subsequent assembly and test operation, so that a plurality of the planes or small matrices supported on plates can be arranged one above the next to form a three-dimensional compound matrix. In some instances the X and Y wires are of sufiicient stiffness to support the plane, thus eliminating the plate. The various planes or matrices on the metal plates are spaced from one another by spacer means, but the wires thereof are interconnected from one plane to another.

In the threading of the cores with the wire to provide for coincident current writing or reading, preformed wires are preferably employed.

These Wires are of proper length and form, being made of wires which are sufiiciently stiff that they will maintain their preformed shape during subsequent assembly and test operations, with one elbow portion containing a hook at the end adapted to extend downwardly and surround the straight end of the corresponding wire therebelow. When all these smaller matrices have been assembled with the hooks of one layer surrounding the ends of the wire therebelow, all of the connections at one side of the assembly may be connected simultaneously, as by dipping in molten solder. The conventional type of thin wire may be employed for the sense and inhibit windings.

The plates may be solid or perforated to permit air circulation so as to cool or maintain the temperature of the cores within a desired range. The cores may be secured to the plate by an adhesive. The plate is made of metal such as aluminum, brass, iron, etc., or can be made of plastic material.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a plate for supporting the individual matrices.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a matrix made according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the matrix similar to FIG. 2 but slightly modified.

The conventional matrix comprises a hollow frame with the cores suspended on the wire drive windings, etc. in the hollow portion of the frame extending between opposite sides of the frame. A very satisfactory method of stringing or wiring such a frame has been developed and involves providing a jig with a properly aligned slot for each core, manipulating the jig with a multiplicity of cores until each slot contains a core, then adhering the exposed edge portions of the cores in the jig to a sheet material, removing the jig after turning it so that the adhesive coated sheet material is on the bottom to provide an adhesive support with the cores adhesively held in proper position on the surface thereof. With the cores all in their proper predetermined position the coincident current wires are threaded th-erethrough and attached to the sides of the frame, to binding posts or lugs. The inhibit and sense wirings are also put in place at this point. Eventually each of the ends of the coincident current wires must be connected to an outside lead wire, as at a frame lug.

The present invention dispenses with the hollow frame and instead the cores may be transferred directly from the jig to the final supporting plate 10 such as shown in FIG. 1.

This plate 10 may be solid or it may contain perforations 11 providing for circulation of cooling or temperature regulating fluid therethrough. The surface of the plate is coated with an adhesive especially in the center portion 12 which is adapted to hold the cores. At least two opposite corners 13 of the plate protrude and contain an opening 14 therein through which a rod 16' is adapted to pass for aligning the various small matrix plates 10 with each other. FIGS. 1 and. 2 show a plate with four aligning covers and FIG. 3 shows a plate with two such covers. Spacer means 17 are provided to space the plates apart, at convenient distance (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 3 slots 18 may be cut in the edges of the plates to provide a guide for the coincident current drive wires to be inserted.

The coincident current drive wires 20 and 20' are best shown in FIG. 3 and comprise a long shank portion 21 or 21 and a short angle portion 22 or 22 terminating in a hook 23 or 23'. As stated above these wires 20 or 20' are slightly larger in diameter and/or stiffer than the wires conventionally employed. These wires 20 are preformed and shaped into the exact dimensions, that is, the length of the shank 21 is adapted to extend across the plate 10 with the end 24 thereof extending through the hook 23 of the wire 20 above the same and the length of the angle and hook portion 2223 is slightly greater than the length of spacer means 17 plus the thickness of the plate 10. The connections between the hooks 23 and ends 24 are subsequently soldered.

In the device shown in FIG. 3 the plates 10 or 10' are square so that the drive wires 20 extending in the columns are the same length as drive wires 20' extending in the rows thereof. The plates 10 or 10 can be rectangular, if desired, in which case the length of the shanks 21 of drive wires 20 would be less than the length of shanks 21 of drive wires 26, for example.

As shown in FIG. 3 each of the separate matrices contains cores capable of storing 100 bits of information. The separate matrices may contain a larger or a smaller number of cores, the 10 x 10 matrices of FIG. 3 illustrates the principle of the invention as well as larger matrices.

To make the device of the invention, cores are positioned in a jig and these cores are transferred to the adhesively coated surface of a plate 10. A plurality of preformed wires or rods 20, 20' is provided and these rods are threaded through the cores to the positions shown in FIG. 3. Each of the wires 20 or 20' acts as its own needle. After all of the wires 20 and 20 are inserted on a particular plate the cores are stabilized and a sense winding and inhibit Winding (not shown) may be threaded through said cores in the conventional manner. When one plate 10 is finished a spacer element 17 and new plate is added. It will be appreciated that the coincident current drive wires 20 and 2% on adjacent plates will be threaded into the cores from opposite sides.

.3. When the desired number of matrices are assembled all of the hook and end connections at each side of the assembly may be permanently connected, as by dip soldering, etc. The assembly is then ready for incorporating into a computer unit by connecting the end Wires to the appropriate lead Wires of the computer.

The features and principles underlying the invention described above in connection With specific exemplifications will suggest to those skilled in the art many other modifications thereof. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims shall not be limited to any specific feature or details thereof.

We claim:

1. A matrix assembly comprising a plurality of smaller matrices, each of said matrices comprising a plurality of ferromagnetic cores arranged in a two dimensional array of columns and rows, means for supporting the matrices one above the next, a plurality of individual drive wires for said cores, a separate one of said drive Wires extending through each column and each row of each smaller matrix, each of said individual drive Wirescomprising a shank portion with a substantially straight free end each shank portion extending through the cores in its particular row or column, the other end of each of said drive wires being oriented at an angle to its shank portion and extending into contact with the free end of the corre sponding drive wire of an adjacent matrix, the angle ends of corresponding drive Wires in adjacent matrices being on opposite sides of said assembly.

2. A matrix assembly comprising a plurality of substantially identical plates supported one above the next in spaced relation, each of said plates containing a plurality of ferromagnetic cores arranged in columns and rows, a plurality of individual drive Wires for said cores, one for each column and one of each row of each of said plates, each of said drive Wires comprising a shank portion extending through the cores in its particular column or roW and an angle portion having hook means at the extending downwardly and into contact with the free end of the corresponding drive Wire of the next lower plate. v

3. A matrix assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which the said plates each contain an individual array of apertures for circulation of the surrounding medium to enhance temperature uniformity among the said cores.

4. A matrix assembly as claimed in claim 2,.in Which each of said plates contains an array of slots along its edge region, each slot coacting with an associated angle portion of the drive Wires for the respective plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,667,542 Wright Jan. 26, 1954 2,700,150 Wales Jan. 18, 1955 2,778,005 Allen Jan. 15, 1957 2,908,983 Rosenberg Oct. 13, 1959 

